Artificial thread



June 21,1938. R. PICARD ET AL ARTIFICIAL THREAD Filed Jan. 28, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I l NVENTORS. dndre-iiiarz'e Oriel BY Rene Picard ATTOR Y.

June 21, 1938. R CARD U M 2,120,990

ARTIFICIAL IHREAD Filed Jan. 28, 1936 5 Sheets-Shea 2 Fla. 3.

lm'lll ill! '1! III I INVENTORS. Grzzlre' maria Oriel BY Re 112' Pz'cam ATTORNEY June 21, 1938. R. PICARD El AL ARTIFICIAL THREAD Filed Jan. 28, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEN TORS.

M M 0 m w m A m2 i. w n Y B Patented June 21, 1938 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,120,990 ARTIFICIAL THREAD Delaware Application January 28, 1936, Serial No. 61,220

7 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of artificial threads, filaments, yarns and the like, and more particularly it relates to the manufacture of artificial threads and filaments having an irregular, uneven or varying denier.

The present invention will be described with particular reference to the spinning of artificial threads produced from viscose, nevertheless, it is applicable to the production of threads, filaments, yarns and the like, from cuprammonium cellulose, cellulose esters, for example cellulose acetate, or cellulose ethers, for example benzyl cellulose.

Heretofore, in the production of threads having a varying denier, the variations in the denier of the thread were spaced along the thread at regular intervals or at intervals according to some regular system of frequent repetition.

This regularity in the variation of the denier in the thread is often undesirable. Such prevlously known threads, for example, are of comparatively little value in the production of certain fabrics by reason of the fact that the variations in denier will often appear at somewhat regular or systematically spaced positions in the final fabric.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to produce variable denier filaments, threads, yarns, or the like, in which the variations in denier are irregular in size and length and are not spaced along the thread at regular intervals or at intervals according to some regular system of frequent repetition.

It is another object of the present invention to provide means for producing variable denier filaments, threads, yarns, and the like, in which the variations in denier are irregular in size and length and are not spaced along the thread the accompanying illustration of one specific embodiment of the invention, and in which? Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational View,

' partially in section, showing a spinning machine for the production of Variable denier yarn in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2' is a diagrammatic front elevational view of the spinning nozzle and feed wheel of the spinning machine shown in Fig. 1.

. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view showing a modified form of mechanism for the production of variable denier yarn.

Fig. 4 is vertical sectional view of a magnetic clutch mechanism which is adapted to provide an intermittent drive.

Referring to the drawings, reference numeral ll designates a pipeline for carrying viscose or other coagulable fluid for the production of filamerits, yarns, threads, or the like. The end of the pipeline l I is submerged in a coagulating bath I3, said pipeline being provided at the end thereof with a spinneret l2, the openings of which are directed upwardly toward a guide I! and feed wheel I8. The thread l5 formed at the spinneret passes through the coagulating bath and is directed toward the feed wheel l8 by means of the thread guide ll, thence to a reciprocating funnel 33 to be gathered in a centrifugal spinning bucket 35.

The feed wheel I8 is provided with a thread-contacting surface H) which differs from the ordinary feed wheel thread-contacting surface in that it is only a fraction of the normal wheel surface, and is preferably a curved section comprising anarc of less than 180 together with its connecting chord. If desired, the ends of the curved section may be connected by another curved section instead of a plane. Very good results can, for example, be produced by the use of a thread-contacting surface having a curved portion representing approximately 132 of acircle, and the chord connecting the ends of said curved portion. If desired, the thread-contacting surface may be serrated so that the thread can slip a small amount thereon and thereby cause greater irregularity of denier. Feed wheel I8 is mounted in the usual manner on shaft which turns in bearing 2| and is'driven by means of a bevel gear 25 which is fixed to the end of shaft 20. Bevel gear 25 is driven by the complementary bevel gear 21 which is fixed to the main drive shaft 3|.

Bevel gear wheel 21 differs from the usual type of driving gear in that a section of the gear teeth is omitted therefrom. The number of gear teeth omitted may be varied in accordance with the intermittent motion desired, for example, a driving gear which would normally have 40 teeth may have a section of 13 teeth omitted therefrom. It is furthermore advisable that the first two or three teeth on the driving gear after the break, that is, those first engaging with the driven gear and all the teeth on the driven gear, should be rounded or pointed so that there will be no severe strain when-the teeth are again brought into mesh with each other and no possibility of the ends of the opposing gear teeth jamming.

In order to prevent the feed wheel from continuously turning due to impetus imparted thereto by the last teeth of gear wheel 2? meshing with ear wheel 25 and until the first teeth after the omitted portion 29 are again in mesh with gear wheel 25, a braking means 22 is positioned between bearing 2| and the feed wheel. The braking means 22 is securely fixed to the bearing member 2| and is provided at the ends thereof with brake shoes 23 which will remain in continuous contact with the back surface of the feed wheel I8. The main arm of the braking means which is fixedly connected to the bearing 2 I may be composed of a yieldable resilient member if so desired. Obviously any other suitable means for holding the brake shoes against the feed Wheel may be used.

Instead of having a driving gear on the main shaft for each spinning position with a plurality of teeth omitted therefrom, the main driving gear for transmitting motion to the main shaft 3i may have, for instance, about one-third of its teeth omitted, and thus cause an entire series of feed wheel drive shafts to turn intermittently. Furthermore, the driving gear on the main shaft for each spinning position may have a number of teeth omitted therefrom as well as the driving gear for transmitting motion to the main drive shaft 3|.

Under certain circumstances it may be desirable to use a thread-contacting surface of different shape than that specifically described and illustrated, and the number of teeth on the various driving gears may be varied in number and ratio to give more infrequent repetition of varying denier. For instance, if desired, teeth may be omitted from the driving gears at more than one portion of their periphery, in which case the number of teeth omitted in each portion will preferably be different and preferably with a difierent number of teeth between each toothless portion.

Furthermore, the prime mover, for instance, an electric motor, may be of a variable speed type and connected with automatic means for continually changing the speed, or a variable speed driving mechanism such as the positive, infinitely variable speed transmission manufactured by the Link Belt Company, and described in their Catalog No. 1274, 2nd edition, published April 1931, may be introduced between the prime mover and the main feed wheel to automatically vary the speed of the shaft.

The above described apparatus operates substantially as follows: The spinning solution, for example, viscose, is extruded from nozzle l2 at a constant rate and in sufiicient quantity to produce a thread the average denier of which is, for example, 200. The thread is spun substantially vertically through a customary coagulating bath, is directed against guide ll which serves to keep the thread on the feed Wheel, passes over the feed wheel thread guiding surface l9 and then to a wind-up mechanism, such as, for example, a centrifugal spinning bucket 35. Due to the shape of the thread-contacting surface of the feed wheel and because of its intermittent rotation, the thread is drawn from the bath at a very irregular rate. For instance, assuming the average denier of the thread to be 200 short length deniers will vary from 100 denier or less up to 800 denier or more. Furthermore, because the cut away portion of the feed wheel and the cut away portion of the driving gear, or driving gears, are made or chosen as irregular fractions of the whole, recurrence of any one point is very infrequent and the uneven pattern of the thread repeats only after long intervals of time, if at all.

Referring to Fig. 3 of the drawings a plurality of feed wheels l8 are mounted on stub shafts which in turn are geared to main drive shaft 3|. The shaft 3i is intermittently rotated by the motor 45 and magnetic clutch and brake device 46 in the following manner: Spur gear 41, which is mounted on the motor shaft 48 drives gear 58, which in turn drives gear 53 by means of shaft 5| and gear 52. The magnetic clutch periodically connects and disconnects gear 53 with shaft 55 in a manner to be described below. The period during which the gear 53 is engaged or disengaged with shaft 55 is determined by the setting of the electric timing device 56, switch 58 and the electromagnetic elements of the clutch 46. The shaft 55, being intermittently rotated, will transmit an intermittent rotation to shaft 3! by means of spur gears 66 and 62.

The details of the magnetic clutch and brake device are clearly shown in Figure 4, although no claim is made to novelty in the clutch and brake mechanism per se. The clutch and brake mechanism 46 is supported by means of frame 18. The gear wheel 53 is keyed to sleeve H which is freely rotatable about shaft 55. The sleeve H is integral with a clutch drum 12 whichis continuously rotated at a constant speed. When the electric timing device 56 closes switch 58 so as to pass a direct current to collector rings 16 the magnet 18 is energized. The energizing of the magnet 18 will cause the armature 80 to be attracted thereto and thereby force pins 82 against the annular ring 84. The ring 84 will be moved toward ring 90 and clamp fins 86 and 88 between rings 84 and 90. Fins 86 are fastened to the clutch drum 12 whereas fins 88 are fixed to body 92 by clamping the two sets of fins to each other the fins 88 will be rotated withconstantly rotating fins 86. The shaft 55 is keyed to body 92 and will therefore also be brought into rotation as well as the magnet and oppositely 'disposed fins 94. The fins 94 will at this state be free to rotate between brake fins 96. The sleeve 98 and integral brake drum 99 are keyed to supporting frame 18 and will therefore continuously remain in a stationary position. When the electric timing device 56 causes the switch 58 to be opened the armature 80 will no longer be attracted toward the electromagnet 18 and the springs I80 will force the armature 80 in the opposite direction to clamp fins 94 to stationary brake fins 86 and thereby suddenly stopping any further rotation of shaft 55. It will bereadily apparent that the shaft 55 will in'this way be intermittently rotated in accordance with the setting of the electric timing device 56.

Other known types of intermittent drive mechanism, in which the driven member or members will come to a distinct stop, such as, mechanical clutches, pawl and ratchet drive means and the like may also be used for obtaining an improved variation in denier in thread in accordance with the principles of the present in- Vention.

It will be clearly apparent that various changes and modifications may be made in the above description of the specific embodiment disclosed without departing from the nature and spirit of the invention. It is therefore to be understood that the invention is not to be limited thereto except as set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:--

1. In an apparatus for the production of artificial thread having an irregular denier, a spinneret, irregularly shaped means for drawing a thread from the spinneret at a varying speed, and means for imparting intermittent motion to said first-named means whereby to form unsystematic variations in denier in said thread at unsystematically spaced points.

2. In an apparatus for the production of artiprising a longitudinal section of a cylinder, the

arcuate portion of which is less than 180, and means for imparting intermittent motion to said feed wheel, whereby to form unsystematic variations in denier in said thread at unsystematically spaced points. 4. In an apparatus for the production of artificial thread having an irregular denier, a spinneret, a rotating feed wheel of varying radius with respect to its axis of rotation for drawing a thread from the spinneret at a varying speed, and

means for imparting intermittent rotation to said feed wheel, said means comprising complementary driving and driven gear wheels, the driving gear wheel of which has a plurality of teeth omitted therefrom.

5. In an apparatus for the production of artificial thread having an irregular denier, a spinneret, a rotating feed wheel of varying radius with respect to its axis of rotation for drawing a thread from the spinneret at a varying speed, and means for imparting intermittent rotation to said fee-d wheel, said means comprising a plurality of series of driving and driven gear wheels, the driving gear wheels of which have a plurality of teeth omitted therefrom.

6. In an apparatus for the production of artificial thread having an irregular denier, a spinneret, a rotating feed Wheel of varying radius with respect to its axis of rotation for drawing the thread from the spinneret at a varying speed, and means for imparting intermittent rotation to said feed wheel, said means comprising an automatic clutching device.

7. In an apparatus for the production of artificial thread having an irregular denier, a spinneret, a rotating feedfwheel of varying radius with respect to its axis of rotation for drawing the thread from the spinneret at a varying speed,

and means for imparting intermittent rotation to said feed wheel, said means comprising an electrically actuated clutching and braking device.

RENE: PICARD. ANDRE-MARIE ORIOL. 

